Cigarette-machine



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

Patented July 9, 1889..

O. 'W. ALLISON. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

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(No Model.) r 2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

O. W. ALLISON. CIGARETTE MACHINE.

v 661% ied UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OSCAR W. ALLISON, OF ROCHESTER, NEW YORK.

CIGARETTE-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 406,613, dated July 9, 1889.

Application filed February 2, 1889. Serial No. 298,425. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSCAR W. ALLISON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Rochester, in the county of Monroe, in the State of New York, have invented an Improved Filler- Forming Mechanism for Cigarette-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to certain improvements on the tobacco filler forming mechanism described in my previous application for Letters Patent, Serial No. 284,988, filed September 8, 1888, whereby the said mechanism is rendered cheaper, simpler, and more durable and efficient.

My improvements are fully described and illustrated in the following specification and accompanying drawings, and the novel features thereof specified in the claims annexed to the said specification.

My improvements are represented in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a side elevation. Fig. 2 is an end elevation as seen from the left hand in Fig. 1, some of the parts being represented as broken away. Fig. 3 is a section through both the inner and outer rings of the fillerformer. Fig. 4 is a side view of the said ring. Fig. 5 is a side view of the outer ring. Fig.

6 is a section through the inner compressingf ring and the belt at right angles to the axis of revolution of the ring.

My improved tobacco-filler-forming mechanism for cigarette-machines consists, essentially, of the inner revolving ring A, having a spherical outer surface, the outer ring B, applied to the inner ring at an angle with the axis of the latter, and the traveling apron or belt 0, which closes the space between the rings, so as to secure the tobacco therein. The rings and chain or belt revolve together in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, the tobacco being received at the upper part of the rings and discharged as a formed filler at the lower side thereof. The tobacco, which is delivered in proper condition from any suitable feeding mechanism, is compressed into a continuous filler between the flange d on the inner ring and the edge e of the outer ring, which surfaces, as represented in Fig. 3, are preferably grooved or shaped so as to give the filler the requisite form. The outer ring B is held in place on the inner ring by the rollers f f f the ring B being held at an angle with the axis of the inner ring A, so that the space between the flange d and edge e is the narrowest at the point opposite the roller f where the greatest compression takes place, the groove widening again, so as to deliver the formed filler to an endless moving paper ribbon, at about the point indicated by the letter 9 in Fig. 1. The ring A is supported and driven in any suitable manner, so as to revolve continuously in the same direction. A convenient manner of doing this is represented in the accompanying drawings, in which the ring is shown as the outer rim of a wheel, having spokes h attached to the shaft D, which revolves in suitable bearings on the standards or posts E E, and is provided with a gear F, by which motion is imparted to the wheel. The outer ring B is driven by friction from the inner ring, or it may be driven independently in any suitable I is the base-plate of the machine, and J an upper plate which sustains the tobacco-feeding mechanism. The two plates are connected together by any suitable standards L L or frame-work, which also sustains the rollers f f, and the shafts m and 'n, which carry the rollers o and r, about which the apron 0 passes. The apron is made of a width somewhat greater than that of the space between the rings, and may consist of a suitable leather or cloth belt, Fig. 6, or, as indicated in the drawings, Fig. 1, of a series of metallic plates hinged or pivoted together like ordinary hinges, or in any other suitable manner. The apron fits against the curved sides of the rings, as represented in Fig. 2, serving to keep the tobacco confined in the space between the flange d and edge e. The apron may be driven by the friction of the rings or it may be driven positively from the gear F by the pinion p 011 the shaft on, or in any other suitable or preferred manner. The shafts m and a are supported in the journals 3 and 5, attached to the standards L L or the frame-work.

As will be observed from Figs. 1 and 6,the rollers 0 and r are so located relatively to the rings that the descending side of the apron is permitted to conform to the surface of the rings and the outer or ascending side passes clear of the inner side. The roller f is sus tained by a shaft t, supported by a bar a and arm '1; on the frame-work or standards. Below the lower end of the apron C is placed a roller .2, which bears against the tobacco in the space or groove between the rings and prevents it from escaping from the same. It is obvious that the apron may be extended farther around the rings, the lower roller 7 being placed lower down and the roller z omitted, its ascending side being kept away from the rings by a roller at about the horizontal position indicated by 3 Fig. 1, in the drawings. The outer ring B is preferably provided with a flange 00, which affords a wider bearing surface for the supportingrollers. The roller 2 is supported on a shaft a, extending across between the frame-work or standards. The spout or passage through which the tobacco passes to the space between the rings is indicated by the dotted lines 1) in the drawings.

It will be understood from an inspection of the drawings, and in particular from Figs. 2 and 6, that the tobacco which is fed by any suitable tobacco-feeding mechanism through the spout or casing b onto the upper surface of the ring A, between the flange cl and the edge e of the outer inclined ring B, will be carried along by the movement of the rings and belt and gradually compressed as it progresses around with the rings by the flange d and edge e, which gradually approach each other, the tobacco being held in the space between the rings by the belt 0. The outer ring is so located with reference to the inner ring that the groove or space between them is narrowest at a point about opposite the lower end of the belt 0, beyond which point the space gradually opens, so as to permit the removal of the compressed filler from between the rings at their lowest portions by a scraper or other suitable device, the filler being thence delivered to suitable mechanism adapted to inclose and seal the same within a suitable paper wrapper. By means of the grooves in the flange d and the edge e of the ring B, I am enabled to give a cylindrical form to the filler; but it is obvious that by varying the shape any other preferred form can be given to the filler. It is obvious that the thickness of the outer ring B should be approximately equal to the height of the projecting flange d.

My improved filler-forming mechanism for cigarette-machines may be used in connection with the other devices for making the complete cigarette represented in my previous application before referred to, or with any other suitable mechanism adapted to accomplish the same results. In the filler-forming mechanism shown in my said application I have employed an additional outer ring for holding the tobacco in the groove between the rings A and B; but by the present improvement I am enabled to dispense with the said outer ring and thus to materially simplify the construction, while at the same time improving the operation of the machine, as the fillerforming mechanism herein described will operate on moist tobacco more satisfactorily than my prior invention. I have also shown a belt in the said application; but this belt was arranged at an angle alongside of the outer ring and could not be used without the ring to effect the compression of the filler. In the present invention, by omitting the outside ring and arranging a belt in a new relation with the two compressing-rings, 1am enabled to work tobacco so moist that it could not be worked with the three rings.

I claim- 1. The combination, with the revolving ring A, of a spherical shape on its exterior and provided with projecting flange d, of the outer obliquely-arranged ring B, fitted to the spherical surface of the ring A and traveling in the same direction, and the endless traveling apron or belt 0, arranged and adapted. to close the space between the rings on the descending side thereof and to complete the compression of the tobacco-filler, substantially as shown and described.

2. The combination, with the revolving ring A, of a spherical shape on its exterior and provided with projecting flange cl, of the obliquely-arranged ring B, fitted to the spherical surface of the ring A and traveling in the same direction, and the endless traveling apron or belt 0, arranged and adapted to close the space between the rings on the descending side thereof and to complete the compression of the tobacco-filler and the roller 2, substantially as shown and described.

OSCAR WV. ALLISON.

WVitnesses GEO. B. SELDEN,

O. G. ORANNELL. 

